It is expected that an important meeting of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) holds today under the supervision of Asad Umer. In this meeting, the observations and statements of the chief secretaries of four provinces including special assistant to Prime Minister Dr Faisal will be considered carefully either to open schools or remain close beyond May 23.
The decisions will be made on the basis of the briefings provided by the provincial chief secretaries.
The NCOC had earlier announced a lockdown in the country during Eid holidays in order to stop the spread of the virus amid the deadly third wave.
Later, certain limitations were eased following a review of the pandemic.
Covid-death toll of Pakistan Reaches 20,000
Pakistan neared another grim landmark of 20,000 fatalities on Wednesday when the country reported 104 new deaths from coronavirus.
As per the official data by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), 41,771 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours from which 3,256 returned positive.
The total caseload of confirmed virus cases in the country is 886,184.
At least 104 lost their lives to the contagion, raising the nationwide death toll to 19,856.
The coronavirus positivity rate stands at 7.79% whereas about 799,951 people have recovered across Pakistan from the virus.
In a province-wise breakdown, Sindh has reported 301,247 cases, Punjab 329,913, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 127,609, Islamabad 79,552, Balochistan 24,064, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 18,360, and Gilgit Baltistan 5,439.
Cannot Go for more extension of schools closure
The Pakistan Alliance of Private Schools also held a meeting today ahead of the NCOC’s review session.
“NCOC should immediately announce reopening of educational institutions,” said the alliance’s chairman Akram Sheikh.
Sheikh said coronavirus cases across the country were reported in large numbers after markets and businesses were allowed to reopen, not schools.
“Educational institutions should be reopened, similar to other sectors, with strict compliance of coronavirus SOPs,” he said, adding that a further extension in the closure of educational institutions will result in “irreparable loss” for students.
Sheikh warned that if the ban was extended beyond May 23, countrywide protests will be held against the decision.
